FIRST ALERT WEATHER: Why Flooding Events Are Becoming More Frequent

Eighth Avenue in Aynor was flooded following Hurricane Matthew. As of Jan. 13, more than a dozen state roads remained closed across the Grand Strand and the Pee Dee. (Source: Benjamin Thompson)

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - On the heels of the 2015 floods and Hurricane Matthew's flooding rains, the year 2017 saw our first bout with heavy rain and flash flooding Monday (April 24).

National Weather Service Meteorologist Steve Pfaff explains why these flooding disasters are striking more often over the past 20 years.

"At least FOUR 500 to 1,000 year flooding events. realized the ramp as far as catastrophic weather events. Certain weather patterns coming together more frequently than they were a couple decades ago."

With an ever changing landscape of new developments and land usage, it's getting trickier to track the impacts of heavy rain events

"Areas change, what's been built on it, are we taking away areas where the rain can soak and infiltrate in swampland, it's always going to change and we try and remedy and build ditches and drainage ponds," says Pfaff.

Nothing is fully flood-proof.

"Ultimately we will get to situations where the rain is so intense that it turns directly into run off."

While homes and properties see the most physical damage, it's the damage in vehicles that can prove to be the most costly.

"We're seeing a large number of events most of the fatalities are people driving into flooded areas. There's very little respect for power of flowing water," according to Pfaff

And flood waters can easily gain control of the wheel.

"Only takes six inches of flowing water to push a car and move the wheel and wheel wells and gets pushed off into a dangerous situation. The most important thing is turn around don't drown," Pfaff explains.

Half of all flooding deaths occur in cars according to the National Weather Service. Being aware, can help you prepare, but planning for flooding is an ever changing process.

"Each disaster is different in its own way and brings things that we don't plan for. So it's easy to plan for things we've come across, but it's difficult to imagine what something 3 times worse than that could be," Pfaff states.

A lawsuit filed by a former Florence County student alleges the school district knew a former school resource officer, fired after allegations surfaced he sexually assaulted the minor, had a history of misconduct.

A lawsuit filed by a former Florence County student alleges the school district knew a former school resource officer, fired after allegations surfaced he sexually assaulted the minor, had a history of misconduct.

Surveillance cameras caught footage of a man stealing a bicycle from a home in The Market Common. (Source: Ken Carnesi)

A homeowner in The Market Common wants people to be aware of a theft that happened right on his front porch. He shared video surveillance with WMBF News from two cameras that capture the suspect stealing a bicycle.

A homeowner in The Market Common wants people to be aware of a theft that happened right on his front porch. He shared video surveillance with WMBF News from two cameras that capture the suspect stealing a bicycle.